Careers in Kinesiology

Potential types of employers

  • colleges and universities
  • community organizations
  • corporate health centers
  • health clubs and fitness centers
  • high schools and middle schools
  • hospitals
  • Olympic training centers
  • professional fitness centers
  • professional sport teams
  • public and private schools
  • sport medicine centers
  • sports injury clinics
  • recreational organizations or leagues
  • rehabilitation clinics

Common job titles related to kinesiology

These occupations and related undergraduate degrees are common preparation for admission to graduate and professional programs in physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical, athletic training, chiropractic and dentistry.

Infographic of example occupations for Sports Management, Physical Activity and Health Management, and Kinesiology.

Find out more about these and other occupations, including salaries.

  • adaptive movement activity specialist
  • athletic apparel designer
  • business operations process improvement specialist
  • cancer exercise trainer
  • cardiac rehabilitation specialist
  • coach
  • club sport coordinator
  • community and exercise health activist
  • cardiac rehab specialist
  • chiropractic assistant
  • ergonomics specialist
  • exercise technician/specialist
  • fitness consultant/specialist
  • laboratory technician
  • marketing coordinator
  • mental skills coach
  • orthotics/prosthetics specialist
  • performance enhancement trainer
  • pharmaceutical sales representative
  • personal trainer *
  • recreation or club sport director
  • sports medicine clinician
  • sports equipment manager
  • sport and fitness educator
  • youth program coordinator
  • recreation program director
  • youth sport recreation director

*certification recommended

Career opportunities with an advanced or graduate degree

A kinesiology degree provides excellent preparation for both graduate school and professional programs.

  • alternative medicine
  • applied physiology
  • athletic training
  • biomechanics
  • chiropractics
  • clinical exercise physiology
  • college/university coaching
  • dance/movement therapy
  • dentistry
  • sports/fitness equipment design
  • dietician
  • exercise physiology
  • forensic medicine
  • insurance company research and development
  • medical device technology
  • military exercise physiology
  • neuroscience
  • Nursing
  • occupational therapy
  • optometry
  • orthotist
  • pharmaceutical industry
  • pharmacist
  • physician assistant
  • physician
  • physical therapy
  • podiatric medicine
  • prosthetics
  • rehabilitation and preventative medicine
  • research
  • sports medicine
  • sport performance coaching
  • sport performance testing
  • sports psychology
  • university professor/lecturer/instructor

Specific job titles of alumni

  • Activities Director
  • AmeriCorps Promise Fellow
  • Assistant Women’s Gymnastics Coach
  • Associate Sales Consultant
  • Behavior Technician
  • Cardiac Rehabilitation Technician
  • Cardiovascular Disease Research
  • Causal Admissions Interviewer
  • Certified Nursing Assistant
  • Club Manager
  • Director of Membership and Marketing
  • Director of Operations
  • Director of Recreational Sports
  • EMT
  • Market Development Representative
  • Marketing Communications Manager
  • Medical Assistant
  • Patient Care Services Representative
  • Physical Therapy Aide
  • Program Leader
  • Rehabilitation Aide
  • Sales Rep/Territory Manager
  • Special Education Assistant
  • Sports Performance Coach
  • Sports Therapy Technician
  • Summer Research Fellow
  • Swim Instructor
  • Transitional Rehab Aide

Specific employers of alumni

  • 24 hour Fitness
  • Accra
  • ACR Homes
  • ActivePT and Sports
  • Activities Director
  • Aerotek
  • Athletico
  • Bierman Athletics
  • Cabelas
  • Depuy Synthes
  • Discover Strength
  • Empi
  • F45 Training
  • Golf Club of St. Paul
  • InTouch Health
  • Kipsu
  • Lakeside Sports and Pain Clinic
  • Mayo Clinic
  • Minneapolis Public Schools
  • Minnesota Alliance with Youth
  • R+M Rehabilitation
  • St. Francis Regional Hospital
  • St. Paul Saints
  • StretchLab
  • Training Haus
  • Train Right Fitness
  • United Hospital-Allina Health
  • University of Colorado Hospital
  • University of Minnesota
  • UW Health Hospital
  • Viterbo University